PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Foundation awarded a total of $6.1 million in grants to 147 organizations across the state to help residents with various needs, including health care, housing, hunger and other critical matters, the nonprofit funder announced Monday.
The foundation says most of the grants are the first from the funder’s new Community Priority and Capacity building programs, part of the new five-year action plan the foundation launched back in December. As spotlighted in
a Dec. 6, 2024, Providence Business News cover story, the plan contains six community priorities: advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility; expanding civic and cultural opportunities that bring diverse groups of people together; reducing the effects of climate change; improving education for all by strengthening student experiences and educator support; lowering the barriers to affordable housing and generational wealth building; and working for more equitable access to quality health care to build healthy and strong communities.
Approximately $2 million in grants were earmarked for organizations who were impacted by lost federal funding due to recent actions in Washington, D.C., the foundation says. Additionally, about $160,000 of the total gift giving is from the funder’s Basic Human Needs program. That program, which awards up to $5,000 to grantees, supports agencies providing emergency services to those in need.
“More than 2,000 community members contributed to the creation of the plan, which focuses our work on crucial community priorities like housing and economic mobility, healthy and strong communities, and education and student success,” foundation CEO and President David N. Cicilline said in a statement.
Grants ranged from $5,000 to $185,000. A full list of grantees
can be found here.
One notable grantee was the R.I. Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, which received $100,000 to support “Power Hour” homework and academic support programs at the organization’s East providence, Newport, Northern Rhode Island, Pawtucket, Providence and Warwick clubs. The foundation says the program provides schoolchildren ages 5-18 homework assistance, tutoring and learning activities.
The foundation says applications for the second round of the program’s new grant programs will be accepted starting Aug. 1.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.
